INSTITUTE FOR DOCTORAL STUDIES
IN THE VISUAL ARTS
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Matthew Fields is an emerging African American laborer, Artist and Arts Educator. In 2015, Matthew began his undergraduate career at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). It was here that he was instilled with the rich history of African American Culture and the under-recognized history of the African American art world. In 2019, Matthew received his bachelor's degree from UAPB and was accepted on a partial Scholarship into the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) low residency MFA program.
Upon completing his Graduate studies and developing his thesis framework in the summer of 2021, he officially emerged as a professional artist and an arts educator. That brings us to today, where Matthew Fields has just completed his second year as Faculty at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and has had his first solo exhibition as an emerging professional artist at the Arts and Science Center of Southeast Arkansas.
"This opportunity has been more than I could have imagined when exploring the website. I am extremely excited to continue growing educationally within the beautiful foundation IDSVA provides."
-Matthew Fields, Cohort '23 Driskell Fellow
About the IDSVA David Driskell Fellowship
IDSVA awards one David Driskell Fellowship with each incoming cohort. Driskell Fellows are students of color who show promise in carrying forward David Driskell's mission to encourage worldwide community and equality through art. For more information, visit our scholarship page.
David Driskell (1931-2020) was a founding member of the IDSVA Visiting Faculty. His inaugural IDSVA lecture was delivered at Spannocchia Castle, Tuscany, in June 2009. His final IDSVA lecture was delivered at Spannocchia Castle in June 2019. The David C. Driskell Fellowship was established in 2010. Dr. Driskell’s message of peace and understanding has inspired countless individuals around the world. In January 2013, David was awarded an IDSVA Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his life service as an artist-philosopher and a world-leading spiritual philanthropist.
View our impressive list of Driskell Fellows.
About IDSVA
The IDSVA PhD in Visual Arts: Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory is a non-studio PhD for artists and creative thinkers. With no campus, IDSVA is a truly nomadic institution, existing everywhere our students and faculty are. The program fuses interactive online education with intensive global residencies.
Apply to IDSVA’s pioneering PhD program by April 8, 2024 for September 2024.
To learn more: Contact Molly Davis, Director of Admissions, info@idsva.edu or book a conversation here.